“Think of the Children!” Saturday 29th is Family Day at Encounters 2018

Here at Encounters we always like to make sure everyone is included in the magical world of short film, especially the little’uns. We’ve made Saturday at Encounters the perfect opportunity to bring children of all ages to experience the festival. We've got Hey Duggee, Wallace & Gromit, Children's Jury & Teen Shorts.

Hey Duggee, as seen on Cbeebies

The day will begin with a screening of eight episodes of Hey Duggee at Watershed. Duggee is the big lovable dog that your kids have most probably seen on CBeebies, created by BAFTA award-winning animator Grant Orchard and narrated by the warm voice of Alexander Armstrong. After the screening there’ll be a chance to get creative with a Hey Duggee themed colouring in session.

Things You Can Do With Extendable Arms, dir Luca Paulli (Children’s Jury)

Next up at Watershed is the Children’s Jury – a collection of short films selected by children, for children. This year we worked with Into Film, a film education charity, and students at Fairfield School in Bristol to put together our family-friendly screening. With a mix of animation and live action, documentary and fiction, this collection is a brilliant way to introduce the younger generation to the short film festival community, and of course also makes for a fantastic morning of cinema.

The lunchtime slot is sure to energise your senses as the Scratch ‘n Sniff Cinema Presents Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Your nose will no longer be left out of the cinema experience at the screening of this Aardman classic, the audience will receive special cards containing all of the funky, fresh and not-so-fresh smells of the beloved duo’s first feature-length adventure. Prepare to immerse your senses in the weird and wonderful world created by Aardman Animations, complete with giant vegetables, ‘Anti-Pesto’, and a mysterious were-creature on the loose in Grimsby.

The afternoon screening is set aside for teenage film fanatics. In honour of 100 years of suffrage, this year’s Teen Shorts screening injects a large dose of Girl Power. These short films are a reminder to all young women out there that they are entitled to feel capable and empowered, despite what the world throws at them. The first film to screen will be Little River Run, directed by Game of Thrones’ Ed Skrein, and later on you’ll see Juck (above), a short that challenges the meaning of femininity through a dance, documentary and fiction hybrid. Juck was born from a dance movement that went viral, learn more here.

Get ready for a day of family film and fun at Encounters 2018! Check out the Events Page on our Facebook to keep up to date with event announcements, or go straight to our website to book your tickets now.

As with all of our film screenings, if you are already a festival pass holder you can book your free ticket from 9am on the day of the screening. If you’re yet to buy your festival pass, click here.

Don’t forget to have a look at our full programme to find out what else we’ve got in store for this year’s festival.